Philosophy of nursing?

elkpark · May 10, 2004

I've been in nursing for ~20 years now (MANY job interviews! :) ), and I've never been asked about my "philosophy of nursing." That's something you won't hear much about once you leave school. Employers want to know if you're licensed and competent ...

Best wishes with your new career!

llg, PhD, RN · May 10, 2004

Yeah, I have been in many nursing positions in many places ... and most have involved interviewing nurses for jobs. I have never asked this question or heard it asked.

However, just in case ... It never hurts to spend a little time thinking about what you think nursing is, why you think it is important, etc. As philosophies usually deal with what things are, what the key functions are, what the values are, etc. Ask yourself some of the following questions...

1. Why are there nurses? What function do they perform in society? What would society do without them?

2. What unique services do nurses perform that other professions do not perform?

3. How would you describe a terrific nurse? What characteristics would cause you to describe someone as a terrible nurse? (I have asked these questions ... often ... in an attempt to ascertain what the candidate values.)

4. Then be prepared to move on to talking about this particular job illustrates those things ... along with why you are interested in the job, how doing a good job in this particular job would be consistent with your values, hopes, education, etc.

This is just one place to start. For these types of questions in an interview, "canned" answers tend to sound "canned" and trite and corny and most people give answers that are not very impressive. For these types of interview questions, you want to show that you have thought about these issues deeply and are choosing to apply for the job because it truly matches your beliefs about what nursing is all about and why you are a nurse.

llg

PeninsulaRN · May 10, 2004

I agree with llg's post.

I've been on many interviews for nursing positions (more than I care to remember, actually) and I've never been asked that question. I have, however, been asked other broad-based questions that require a bit of thought, such as:

1. Our mission statement is . How can you help us achieve our mission?

2. What is customer service to you?

3. What do you feel are your strengths and weaknesses?

...and the ever popular new grad question...

4. What inspired you to become a nurse? What kind of nurse do you aspire to be?

You should have a general idea of what is most important to you, as far as the type of nurse you aspire to be, and you could adapt that to reflect your philosophy of nursing, if necessary. Try to be as genuine and creative as possible.

Never be afraid to say: "Hmm, that's a hard question. Let me think about that". It will give you the opportunity to examine your thoughts and answer the question as best you can, without scrambling for the first thing that comes into your head.

Good luck!